What Friends Are For
by DaughteroftheOneTrueKing
Summary: Rose and Scorpius find out some very distressing news.


**Once again I have returned to writing for QLFC, it's already round 10. I can't believe it's so close to the end of the season. Anyway, it's round 10, and the round is about soap operas. The captain prompt is to write about an affair. I think I came up with a different idea that came to me awesomely. I hope you all like it! Just as a mention, this is not in compliance with both the 19 Years Later scene or Cursed Child.**

 **Word Count: 1237**

Rose knocked on the front door of Malfoy Manor, bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. She had some news she just had to tell Scorpius. It took a few moments, but finally, the door opened, and standing in the doorway was Draco Malfoy. Rose had only seen him a couple of times when she came to visit Scorpius or when she was at the Ministry with her parents, but she always saw him as a man who was very volatile. She felt that if she wasn't careful, he would set off like a bomb.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy," Rose said, putting on a smile when she saw him. "I'm here to visit Scorpius."

Draco stared at her for a moment before he said, "Of course, Rose. He mentioned you might stop by. Come on in."

Rose entered the manor, which always gave her a sense of awe. It was a beautiful place, adorned with everything imaginable. A crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the foyer. Expensive vases were placed along the walls, providing a seamless path from the front entrance to the rest of the house. She had to remind herself to stop from gasping aloud. The ceilings were high, and a fire burned in the huge fireplace, fending off the early morning chill. As long as she didn't look at any one thing for too long, it was simple enough.

"You remember where his bedroom is, don't you?" Draco asked her, bringing her attention away from the splendor of the room.

"Yes, I remember it," she responded, turning away from the entrance and starting to jog up the stairs ahead of her. Making her way through various halls and flights of stairs, she quickly found the room she knew to be Scorpius'.

"Scorpius, open up. It's me!" she called as she knocked on the door, unable to keep her excitement in much longer. The wooden door opened, and Scorpius stood before her, his eyes laughing at her.

"Rose, calm yourself, you'll tear my house down if you're not careful."

"I'm sorry! I just couldn't help being excited when this came!" She took a folded letter out of her pocket and thrust it at him. "My Hogwarts letter came yesterday! I'm going in September!"

Scorpius looked at the letter and laughed aloud. "I should've known it would be something like this. It's not like you to be so excited, you know. It seems like hell should be freezing over right now."

Rolling her eyes, Rose said, "Oh, shut up. You'll be excited too when your letter comes, and you know it."

"Yeah, yeah," Scorpius shrugged off the comment as he sat on his bed. Rose was about to join him when she saw an owl approaching the manor. Assuming it would go to a lower window, she was surprised to see it land on Scorpius' windowsill.

"You've got mail," Rose said in a singsong tone. Scorpius stood and opened the window to let the owl inside.

"Hey there, Charis," Scorpius said, patting the bird's feathers and handing her an owl nut before taking the letter. For a moment, he stared at the envelope, taking in the words. "I think you might be in luck, Rose!" Without further delay, he ripped open the letter and scanned it with glinting eyes. "'Dear Mr. Malfoy, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.' Rose, I'm in too! It's finally happened!"

"I won't say that I told you so, but that you know it was completely obvious we'd both be going. We knew we were going to Hogwarts since we were babies. That's all we ever talked about."

Scorpius snorted as he said, "You know, it just doesn't seem like it's actually going to happen until it actually does."

Rose shrugged. "I guess. Hey, let's go tell your mum and dad!"

"All right," he agreed. "They'll probably be in the parlor. Let's go!"

They left Scorpius' room, Rose following since she didn't really know anything in the Manor besides Scorpius' bedroom. Arriving outside their destination, they were brought up short by people talking inside.

"-do you want me to say, Draco?" They heard a woman's voice that Rose recognized as Scorpius' mother. "It wasn't meant to happen, it just did."

"You're not sorry at all, are you?" Draco said. Rose turned to see what Scorpius made of this, but his face had gone pale.

"They never argue like this," he whispered to her. Rose gave him a sympathetic look and started to leave. "No, we need to figure out what's happening."

"Are you sure you want to know?" she replied. He simply nodded and indicated the door, to make sure they heard it all.

"What am _I_ meant to be sorry for? That I was drunk at The Leaky Cauldron, some guy snuck me some Amortentia, which resulted in a night that will never happen again? I couldn't control his actions, you know. If I hadn't had so much Firewhiskey, maybe, or…" They heard the sound of sobs, assumedly from Astoria. "I'm sorry." Her voice was full of tears as she spoke. "I should have been able to overcome it, I should have left, I…"

Rose saw that Scorpius was now shedding a few tears as well. She reached over and grasped his hand, letting him know silently that she would be there for him.

They sat by the door for a few more minutes, but there were only sobs of regret from his parents now, nothing to hear or learn about the situation. Eyes now wide with shock and tears, Scorpius dragged her back through the Manor and to his room once again.

"Scorp, I'm sorry about all this. I didn't mean to make us overhear it." He said nothing as she gave him a fierce, comforting embrace. "I'm here for you if you want to talk about it, but I won't make you."

Scorpius looked her straight in the eyes. "I know you are, Rose. I don't have any doubt about your friendship. I just can't believe Mum had an affair with some guy, " He said, plopping himself onto the bed with a sigh.

"Well, from what we heard, it sounds like it wasn't exactly willing, you know. Your mum sounded pretty sorry about it." Lily joined him on the bed and put her arm across his shoulders. "I get if it's difficult, but don't be angry at her. That man's to blame in this, no one else."

"I just wish they'd told me in person. It's awful to have heard it by eavesdropping. Now if I ask about it, I'll have to tell how I found out. I don't want them to have to be checking outside their doors for me every time they want to have a private conversation."

Lily smiled wryly as she spoke. "Well, let me know when you decide you're ready to talk to them about it and I'll be with you for it."

Scorpius just looked at her, and they didn't need to speak at all to know what the other wanted to say. They would be there for each other, no matter what happened in their lives. That was what best friends did, after all.


End file.
